Star Wars Episode X: The Fallen Kingdom
by 100TenMillion
Summary: One thousand years after the battle of Endor, the Galaxy exists in a constant state of war and peace. No Republic to keep the peace, no Empire to keep order. In the Unknown Regions, two planets are at war. As the conflict escalates, a new legend is born...
1. Chapter 1

**A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...**

**STAR WARS**

**EPISODE X: THE FALLEN KINGDOM**

_**The failure of the New Republic to keep peace in the Galaxy has led to its fracturing. Millions of planets and star systems become independent. It is not uncommon for many of these new political bodies to wage war with one another. Peace is temporary, as is war. This new cycle reigns in the Galaxy.**_

_**In the Unknown Regions are two kingdoms that have been at war for a century: PEDJIT and LODIS. The KING OF LODIS has been suing for peace for over a decade, offering the hand of his daughter as a tribute. Unbeknownst to him, the DARK SIDE has given Pedjit an advantage...**_

Space; cold, dark, silent. The stars lay still, shimmering peacefully, their systems invisible to the naked eye. One could well be forgiven for feeling a false sense of tranquility when witnessing such a scene, but the ship that cruises through the void is a harbinger of pain and despair for those who are familiar with its design. It is a Star Cruiser model AN-15, built in Pedjit for war. Two miles long, one mile wide, it closely resembles a cylinder with the front end being slanted upwards. At the steer, five thrusters burning brightly, four surrounding a much larger thruster that is triple the size of its companions. The ship carries a total of ten thousand soldiers and five hundred sky fighters, all ready to attack as soon as the ship lands. There are a total of five more AN-15's trailing this ship, all ready to begin the invasion.

The planet Lodis approaches. It is a medium-sized planet, home to the Kingdom of Lodis. The atmosphere is blue colored, with one third of its surface being land and two thirds being water. The AN-15s enter the atmosphere of the planet, slowly descending onto its surface.

As the AN-15's descend upon Lodis, the surface of the planet launches its defenses. Laser cannons shoot their ammunition at the invasive ships; one is shot down and destroyed. The AN-15's launch their fighters; a total of two thousand, five hundred Pedjit Thorn-Wings. They are three winged fighters; two wings at opposite sides curved downward at a forty five degree angle, with one wing located just behind the cockpit. Each wing comes equipped with a blaster that shoots forwards. A single Thorn-Wing is hardly a danger, for they are hard to navigate. No, the danger of the Thorn-Wing comes from the fact they come in large numbers.

As the Thorn-Wings descend unto Lodis, the ground forces launch their own Lodis Orni-Flyers. They are sleek fighters, shaped like a T, inspired from the Naboo Fighters from the time of the Clone Wars. The difference laid in the color scheme; Orni-Flyers were typically red and silver. The Orni-Flyers flew up towards the Thorn-Wings, the latter raining down laser blasts onto the surface of Pedjit. One thousand Ornis versus two and a half thousand Thorns. The Ornis scattered; some were caught in the assault, exploding. A total of one hundred and nineteen Ornis were destroyed, their debris falling onto the surface of their home world, their pilots' bodies mercifully burnt to a crisp before they hit the ground.

A single AN-15 lands on Lodis, opening its hatch to release the foot soldiers of Pedjit. The soldiers of Pedjit wear durasteel armor colored yellow and red, armed with PI-01 blaster rifles. The PI-01 rifle is a simple and inelegant rifle; a single black barrel with a simple brown stock, capable of rapid fire. Like most of Pedjit's armory, it was designed to be used in large numbers for overwhelming force.

The Pedjit soldiers advance through the muddy, smoke-covered field. Vision is impaired; if you can see two feet in front of you, you're lucky. However, their nav-systems guide them through the smoke, leading them towards the capital of Lodis, the city of Rajit. Their radar begins to beep; one enemy approaching. Some of the soldiers attempt to suppress their chuckles as they all prepare their blasters.

Swash! Swoosh! Five soldiers lose their heads. Vroom! More soldiers lose their body parts. The Pedjit soldiers enter a panic; they form a circular formation, protecting each other's back. A blip on the radar. Pew pew! The soldiers shoot in the direction the radar says the enemy is located. Immediately the soldiers are shot down by their own comrades. The smoke finally clears out. Sixty seven dead soldiers, most of them killed by the lightsaber of Captain Verrick of the Knights of Lodis.

Powerful man, Verrick. He stands six feet and six inches in height, his bronze skin glistening in his sweat, his curly jet black hair framing his strong, stoic face. He wears the black cloth uniform of Lodis proudly; an overcoat colored black with the Cross of Lodis in the back. In his right hand, his white crossguard lightsaber. In his left hand, his trusted durasteel shield.

Verrick raised his shield, deflecting the laser blasts coming from the Pedjit soldiers. He marched directly at the soldiers, lightsaber in hand, slicing their heads away. He raised his lightsaber overhead; a signal for the incoming Lodis grenadiers.

The grenadiers rushed towards Verrick's position, raising their grenade launchers at a thirty five degree angle. BOOM! The grenades flew in a fiery arch, landing on the groud, creating deadly explosions that ended the lives of many Pedjit soldiers.

The sounds of explosions, the wooshing of air fighters, and the screams of dying men filled the air. The smell of burning flesh and dust invaded every unguarded nostril, chocking the less prepared to death. Debris kept falling to the ground as if it were rain or snow.

"Captain!" A voice called out. A Lodis soldier pointed at a small vessel flying through the carnage.

"The King," Verrick whispered to himself. He ran away from the battle and towards the sky, running as fast as he could. He hijacked a Pedjit speeder, rushing towards his King.

The capital of city of Rajit was deserted, having been evacuated earlier. Only the King, by his insistence, remained. The Queen was also adamant that she remained with the King, as well as her son. Verrick knew that, for he was at his King's side when they made that decision. He rushed up to the castle, observing that the vessel from before had already landed previously. The few guards left behind had already been killed. Verrick inspected their wounds; lightsaber strikes. He gulped, gripping his own lightsaber and shield.

He ran up the staircase, the whole castle littered with dead guards. "Not a single enemy corpse?" Verrick thought to himself. He hurried towards his king.

His eyes widened. Dead. The King of Lodis laid dead in his own throne. At his side, the dead Queen and their two month old son, also dead. The culprit: a figure clad in pure white armor, wearing a flowing cape, and a face-covering helmet. The figure turned to Verrick, who prepared his lightsaber.

"Kingslayer!" Verrick cried out, weapon at the ready. He rushed towards the figure, only to stop. The figure extended its arm at Verrick, slowly raising him from the ground using the Force. With but a wave of its hand, the figure tosses Verrick out the window, falling down towards the river that was once pristine and beautiful, but was now covered in corpses.

Thus the forces of Lodis were overwhelmed by Pedjit's might. On this day, Lodis fell to Pedjit, ending the war...

...or so would they think, unaware that Verrick, the best Knight of Lodis, was still alive...


	2. Chapter 2

Star Wars Episode X

Chapter 2:

Silence. Absolute silence broken only by the buzzing of native Lodis bees pollinating green daisies, the occasional chirping of birds seeking mates, and the subtle, far off rumbling of explosions. The morning sun was warm and very much welcoming; the breeze blew through the grass, releasing a single dandelion seed through the air. The seed flies across the sky, landing on top of the body of Captain Verrick as he floated down the river.

Ten miles away from this serene scene was a small village named Skellitz. A quaint little hamlet of two hundred folk, fenced by wooden posts, occupied by simple people leading simple lives. Like in many planets, owning a droid is a luxury few can afford, but the village does have a medic droid that was only seventy years out of date. The houses were simple, wooden structures that surrounded a common well. From one of the houses exited a beautiful girl. She was young, aged seventeen or so, with long auburn hair, green eyes, pale skin, a pointed chin, and thin lips. She was a thin lass, perhaps a mite underfed, but as she stepped out into the sun her eyes shone with happiness and contentment.

She walked to the river shore, a basket of laundry under her arm. She put down the laundry, sat on the shore, and began to wash the clothing she had brought. She hummed to herself a happy, calming tune as she rubbed the soap on the clothes. The smell of soap filled her nostrils; as she took a whiff, she sighed in relief. A smile formed across her face, as she allowed herself to lose herself in the moment.

Peace; a luxury for most, a reality for some. For this young woman, peace is reality; no conflict beyond the laundry, no noise beyond the buzzing of insects and the chirping of birds, and the warm glow of the morning sun.

As if on instinct, her eyes opened. She became alert, surveying her surroundings for something. What it was, she most likely didn't know. A minute later, she saw him: Verrick's body floating helplessly through the water. She let out a scream and jumped into the river.

"Help!" She yelled out. "Wenceslaus, help me!"

As she rushed towards Verrick's unconscious body, an old man from the village scurried towards the shore. He jumped into the water, helping the young woman drag Verrick towards the shore.

"Thank you, Vig," she said between pants. "He needs the droid!"

"We'd better hurry," said the old man, Vig. "He's still alive, but I don't know for how long. Hey everyone! Help us out!"

Four other villagers left their houses upon hearing Vig's voice. They rushed towards him, aiding the old man in taking Verrick's body towards the medical droid.

A small, makeshift clinic housed a single 2-1B medical droid. There were three beds, a shelf of herbs and roots, and a side table with clean surgical tools. The droid's name: PZ-1201.

"LAY THE PATIENT ON THE BED," said the droid in its robotic voice. "WE BEGIN TREATMENT AT ONCE."

The villagers helped lay Verrick on the middle bed. The droid began scanning the captain for any injuries or diseases.

"PATIENT IDENTIFIED: CAPTAIN VERRICK OF THE KNIGHTS OF LODIS," said PZ-1201. "DIAGNOSIS: WATER SHOCK AND SPINAL INJURY. SURGERY REQUIRED. ALL ORGANICS INEXPERIENCED WITH MEDICINE ARE TO LEAVE."

All but Vig and a portly woman left the clinic, their heads hung low.

"What an ill omen," said one of the men who aided in the rescue. "If Sir Verrick is here..."

"Could the capital have fallen?" Asked the young woman. "I mean-"

"Yeah," said the man. "No way he'd be half dead otherwise. I've got a beer that says he fought to the bitter end and was the last man standing."

"I've got a bag of dried fruits which says," said a half-smiling man. "That he took down a hundred of those bastards before they got him."

The two men shared a half-hearted laugh; the young woman, however, did not even smile. Her mind was flooded with millions of thoughts, both about the man she helped rescue as well as the future of her home. Lodis has fallen; the severity of this news, apparently, had yet to fall on her neighbors. But she understood what this meant: slavery. The Pedjit are not known for their mercy in Lodis; rather, they are known for their hunger and cruelty.

"Luciana!" Cried out a voice from her house. "Where the bloody hell are you!?"

The young girl gave an exasperated sigh. She responded "I'm coming,Wenceslaus!"

She scurried to her house, the one closest to the river. Inside was her husband: Wenceslaus, the town drunk and idler. He sat on the table, his bowl empty. "Where's my breakfast, woman?"

"I was doing laundry," said the young woman, Luciana. She went to the cupboard, pulling out a flat bread and a dried sausage. She took them to the sink, putting them in a pot filled with water. She then took the pot over the stove, heating it slightly. She stirred the pot a while, her mind wandering towards the grave situation regarding the defeat of Lodis.

"That smells like womprat turds," said Wenceslaus as he grimaced. "Better fetch me a jar of ale, too, so I can wash down that slurry you're preparing for me."

She opened the cupboard and took out the jar of ale; it was half empty.

"Drinking in the middle of the night again?" She whispered. She gave her husband the jar of ale, who looked down on it with a grim expression.

"Get some more later," he said as Luciana served him a bowl of breakfast gruel and sausage. He took one bite, and gagged. "I take it back; womprat turds taste better than this."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'm going back for the laundry."

"Buy more ale!" He yelled at her as she left. As she made her way back to the laundry, her eyes catch something shining on the shore. She approaches the object: Verrick's lightsaber. She grabbed it; a feeling of familiarity overwhelmed her as she fiddled with the weapon. She suddenly stood up, holding her head in pain. She screamed like a banshee! In her head she hears a thousand cries of pain and horror, only to just as suddenly be snuffed out. She collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. Tears ran down her face as she attempted to compose herself, her heart beating a mile a minute. Back to the laundry she went, attempting to push the awful feeling off her mind.

Three hours pass. The laundry is done, hanging under the midday sun. As Luciana strolled through the market for her husband's ale, the rumors flew through Skellitz.

"The Pedjit rounded up the remaining grenadiers, I hear," said the town midwife to the vegetable seller as she loaded her basket with poronios. "Slaughtered them all with nary a care!"

"I've heard some were made to beg!" The seller whispered. "Not that it did them any good, mind..."

"Oh, what dreadful times have befallen us!" The midwife exclaimed.

As Luciana paid for the ale, she overheard the baker and wine maker gossiping.

"...it's over," said the baker. "War's over. The King's dead, the Queen's gone, and even if she were still around, the Prince is still a newborn!"

"What of the Princess?" Asked the wine maker.

"Don't you remember? She's in Coruscant!" Said the baker. "Turned out she's a Jedi!"

"A Jedi?" Luciana exclaimed. "You think she'll come and end the war?"

"War's over, my dear," said the baker regretfully. "We've lost. No King, no heir to the throne, no army to fight back; it's over."

"We still have Captain Verrick!" She exclaimed. "He'll-"

"Poor child," the baker said with full sympathy. "One man cannot win a war. I am sorry, my dear. The future is grim now. There is no hope for us, for Lodis."

Her face fell upon hearing those words. "Then what will happen?"

"I don't know," the baker hung his head.

A deathly silent fell between the three. The wind blew through the town, echoing through the houses. At that moment Vig entered the market, buying dried meat. Luciana rushed to him.

"Vig, is he awake?"

"Barely," Vig replied. "The surgery is done, but his body is weak. He needs food."

"Can I see him?" She asked.

"I suppose so-" before he could finish, Luciana dropped the ale and rushed towards the clinic. As she burst inside, she saw Verrick's body; motionless, but serene.

"THE PATIENT REQUIRES NOURISHMENT," said PZ-1201. "PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB THE PATIENT."

"I can feel it..." She said, her breathing becoming harder. "He's clinging to life."

"BY ALL ACCOUNTS HE SHOULD BE DEAD," said PZ-1201. "HIS WILL TO LIVE IS STRONG."

"It sure seems like it," she said as she gazed at Verrick.

"I've got the meat," said Vig as he entered the clinic. "Will he be able to eat it, though?"

"WE HAVE NO CHOICE," said the droid. "PLACE THE DRIED MEAT IN THE PATIENT'S MOUTH."

Vig put a small slab of jerky in Verrick's mouth, who pathetically chewed it before the jerky fell beside his face. As if on instinct, Luciana took the jerky, put it in her mouth, and began to chew.

"YOUNG LADY, THAT MEAT WAS NOT FOR-" but the droid grew silent as Luciana lowered her face towards Verrick, uniting their lips together and dropping the chewed meat into his mouth, allowing him to swallow. "GOOD IDEA, THIS WILL ALLOW THE PATIENT TO INGEST FOOD."

She continued to feed the Knight of Lodis this way; after she was finished, she stroked his face. As he slowly opened his eyes, tears ran down his face. He gazed at her face, looking deep into her eyes. And she looked right back into his, gazing ever so tenderly at the man she rescued that morning.

Not a word was shared, not a noise was made in that clinic. For a brief moment, it was as if nobody existed in the galaxy but these two. He couldn't speak, not yet, but with all his might he mouthed the softest, most vulnerable "thank you" he had ever uttered in his mouth.

And with that, he fell to his rest once more. Tears ran down her red face, her heart racing a million miles a minute. She smiled as she stroked his hair. She took out the lightsaber from her pocket and placed it in his palm, allowing him to grip it.

"THE PATIENT'S HEARTBEAT IS ACCELERATING," said PZ-1201. "HIS RECOVERY WILL ACCELERATE!"

"Good," Luciana said with a smile.

Unbeknownst to her, Wenceslaus had witnessed the whole thing. He was not happy...


End file.
